pessimistic
Americanadjective
Related Words
See cynical.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pessimistic
Explanation
Pessimistic describes the state of mind of someone who always expects the worst. A pessimistic attitude isn't very hopeful, shows little optimism, and can be a downer for everyone else. To be pessimistic means you believe evil outweighs the good and that bad things are more likely to happen. So pessimistic people are usually pretty negative. And kind of a bummer to be around. Think of Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh's perpetually gloomy friend. The word comes to us, not surprisingly, from the Latin pessimus — meaning "worst."
Vocabulary lists containing pessimistic
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Builders more broadly became a little less pessimistic in May, according to a National Association of Home Builders index—but “less pessimistic” is still far from hopeful.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
He’s running on a message of righteous fury as a survivor of the Palisades fire, in an era when many Angelenos feel pessimistic about what’s next.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
"We have to remain both pessimistic and optimistic while planning ahead," Rohan Khaunte, Goa's tourism minister told a local outlet.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
The pessimistic outlook is starting to affect purchases of appliances and vehicles for middle-class consumers and any sort of discretionary purchases for moderate-income consumers, said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
Among the members of the inspection task force, Lawrence and Mills were willing to entertain the idea of a test ban in principle but were pessimistic that it could be adequately monitored.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
